Its laid-back lifestyle, access to outdoor adventure and incredible beauty, have long made Fernie, British Columbia, a desirable place to own a second home—and, like many resort communities, it has felt the correlating pressure from the associated increase in housing costs. Now, community shareholders are offering a solution.

Fernie mayor Cindy Corrigan said that she is pleased at the groundbreaking efforts of her community to put affordable housing at the top of the list of city priorities, and to create partnerships with provincial organizations and local resort developers in order to bring the new Veneto Place to fruition.

“I understand that this is a one-of-a-kind project,” said Corrigan. “B.C. Housing has never entered into this kind of arrangement before.”

Corrigan speculated that the unique private-public partnership between the City of Fernie and Parastone Developments—as well as the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. and Columbia Basin Trust’s involvement—is what brought B.C. Housing in.

The two-bedroom units, which are listed between $169,000 and $189,000, are close to completion near downtown—making the new housing not only affordable, but part of an active, liveable neighbourhood.

“The need for affordable housing was identified very clearly in 2007 when the City did its housing strategy,” said Corrigan. “As the community has become more recognized as a great place to have a second home, it has caused us issues with affordability for people who want—and need—to live here and work here.”

Corrigan praised Beth Dennahower and Simon Howse from Parastone—the company that designed the notable 901 Fernie development—for taking steps to move the process forward.

“I’m really excited about it,” she said. “I envision people within the community will want to move into this development.”